How eating disorders affect sexuality
Why it's hard to feel pleasure when we don't accept our own body
How eating disorders affect sexuality
A distorted self-perception in eating disorders gets in the way not only of your relationship with food, but also of your ability to enjoy intimacy and feel comfortable in your body.
Together with our friends from an eating-behavior recovery service, we looked at how to get back in touch with your body.
Why it's hard to feel pleasure when we don't accept our own body
Body image is not just about your reflection in the mirror or your weight
It's the basic sense of yourself in your body, the sense of your own physicality.
With eating disorders, body perception can become severely distorted — and this affects not only eating, but also your connection with yourself, sensuality, pleasure and sexuality.
What research says
Even brief exposure to weight-loss content — for example, 8 minutes on TikTok — can lower body satisfaction and increase the risk of eating disorders.
Roughly one in three people with an eating disorder is a man, although men are less likely to seek help.
#ForYou? the impact of pro-ana TikTok content on body image dissatisfaction and internalisation of societal beauty standards. Madison R. Blackburn, Rachel C. Hogg
Mitchison, D., Mond, J., Bussey, K., Griffiths, S., Trompeter, N., Lonergan, A., Pike, K. M., Murray, S. B., Hay, P. (2019). DSM-5 full syndrome, other specified, and unspecified eating disorders in Australian adolescents: Prevalence and clinical significance. Psychological Medicine, 50(6), 981–990.
What can help
Acknowledge your feelings
How you feel about your body matters. And if you feel tension, shame or anxiety, that's a reason to look more closely at what's going on with you.
Reconnect with your body
Movement can become a source of support: not a way to "fix" your body, but a chance to feel it again. Yoga, dancing, breathing practices, massage — choose whatever works for you.
Limit toxic content
If scrolling social media leaves you anxious, that's a reason to unfollow accounts that trigger comparison and self-criticism.
Seek support from professionals
Psychotherapy, body-focused work and eating-behavior recovery help reduce inner tension and build a warmer relationship with yourself.
You want to lose weight, but gently
If you've had an eating disorder in the past, it's important to be especially careful. Harsh restrictions and strict control can trigger relapses and make anxiety worse. Support, a gradual approach and a focus on sustainable habits are the foundation of a gentle path back to yourself.
